Making it in the U.S

 

I read an article last night in the latest FARRAGO magazine and it literally blew me away. In an instant, my mind was changed about everything here in Melbourne. I have to get out, i have to go to New York where there are more opportunities for young writers like me. In the article, this Melbourne Expat talks about how in America, people have an entirely new approach to work and ambition. She touched on how in Australia, there's that tall poppy syndrome that everyone partakes in and that people who want to get ahead feel embarrassed to admit that they want to because it might make them look like a 'wanker' or something. I really identified with this. No one in Australia is ambitious enough or wants to achieve staggering success. OR, if they want to, they can only go up to a certain point in their success and then it cuts off from there. That's what the writer said in this article, i am definitely inclined to agree.

I don't believe i have even gone halfway there to 'making it' in Australia. But i feel like there's no point in doing that before i look at avenues of leaving. The idea of going to New York to pursue something writing related or even doing an internship at somewhere i love like TED, excites me and it makes me want to leave right now. But it seems so impossible. There are so many hurdles stopping me and i know at best, i can get there in a year or two if i start saving now ( which i actually feel really motivated to do ) and if i start looking at ways in which this can be reality. The article put me in a weird daze for the entirety of my shift at work. It was as if, all of a sudden my eyes were opened and i realised that i had been feeling and thinking everything this girl has said in this article and i just needed her to bring it forth even more to make me do something about it. Melbourne is an awesome place, but it's just too provincial. No one is thinking far-reaching enough. No one wants to take over the world and no one wants to admit that they think they can or want to because someone will just snigger at you and tell you to bring your ego down. I think this is stupid and i hate it because i love working when it comes to something i love and i want to excel at it. 

The article also says that it doesn't matter if you lose an opportunity or fail to get one because there are four more lined up for you down the tracks. I can't even fathom having that here in Melbourne. The pool here is too small and noone wants to share their contacts because people are so desperate to keep themselves afloat. In New York, this is different. The pool is so big that people care a lot less because new people are always coming in and leaving the pool. It's amazing. I don't quite know where to begin making this idea into a reality. I'm kind of daunted by all the stuff i have to do. Where do i start? I think i'll start saving money first and then begin applying for internships or opportunities for jobs there. After that, hopefully there'll be more of a structure happening. It's all just ideas and aspirations in my mind at the moment and who knows if anything will ever eventuate from this? All i know is that there are so many opportunities and things happening on the other side of the pond that we'd never ever get here in little old Melbourne.